A MAILBAG OF ANSWERS PT.1

What is your why?

It seems like the simplest question, and it’s one I ask every guest, yet it's almost always the one that reveals the most. Why?

Not just why do you make photographs, but why do you create, why do you keep going, why does any of it matter? In this special edition of The Photowalk, I turn that same question towards the people who walk with me each week through the show, you! Alongside thoughtful messages from the mailbag, you'll hear audio archive reflections from past guests. This is a show about purpose as much as photography. About the reasons that shape our work, our choices and, sometimes, the direction of our lives. It might just leave you thinking about your own why.

I’m joined by my good friend Giles Penfound for part of the walk, to talk about his own why, and his recent road trip across Australia.

Email your stories, thoughts, and pictures to the show. If you can optimise/resize photos to 2,500 pixels wide, that’s always much appreciated. If you’d like to support this show and have access to further content and the midweek Extra Mile show, we’d welcome you as an EXTRA MILER. There’s also our Facebook group, a safe place to meet and talk with photographers of all interests, the Photowalk YouTube channel, plus the show is featured on Instagram and Substack.

As well as our Extra Milers, we’re also supported by our friends at ARTHELPER, who make marketing easier, help more people find your work, and keep your voice true, so you can get back to what you love most: making art. Enter PHOTOWALK at checkout to receive 30 days of the pro version free.

This episode is also supported by SILVERGRAIN PRESS. If you have photographs sitting on a hard drive that deserve a life beyond a screen, Silvergrain Press creates beautifully made photo books, fine art prints and handcrafted frames. Visit silvergrainpress.com/photowalk and use the code PHOTOWALK for 15% off your first order.

PLEASE HELP TO BUILD OUR COMMUNITY BY SHARING THIS EPISODE TO YOUR FAVOURITE SOCIAL PLATFORMS

LEARN:

MORE ABOUT names, words, THE MUSIC and places FROM TODAY’S SHOW

A friendly reminder: The links on this page will take you to external websites and platforms, and while I only point you towards places I think are worth your time, I have no control over their content and can't be held responsible for whatever you find when you get there.

Join us in Venice for the Venice ‘26 retreat, photographing a city built on water, light, and ritual as winter settles across the lagoon. Together we’ll wander through early-morning markets, quiet canal edges, hidden monasteries, and the weathered backstreets of Castello and Cannaregio, with time to slow down, take photographs, and build creative confidence in a city that reveals itself gently when the crowds disappear. Places limited.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882) was one of the most widely read poets of the 19th century. His work explored subjects including hope, grief, history and the value of living with purpose. Poems such as A Psalm of Life, Paul Revere's Ride and The Song of Hiawatha made him famous around the world, and he remains one of the few American writers honoured in Poets' Corner at Westminster Abbey. (And there was me calling him English!)

Penwood is a small Hampshire village, just a few miles from Newbury, surrounded by rolling countryside and woodland. It's the sort of place where footpaths, quiet lanes and changing seasons shape the landscape, making it a favourite with walkers, cyclists and anyone looking to escape the pace of everyday life.

Hans Zimmer is a German-born film composer whose music has shaped some of cinema's most memorable moments. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he has written scores for films including The Lion King, Gladiator, Inception, Interstellar and Dune, blending traditional orchestras with electronic sound in a style that has influenced an entire generation of composers. He has won two Academy Awards, along with multiple BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Grammys.

The Nullarbor Plain is one of the world's largest limestone landscapes, stretching across southern Australia between Western Australia and South Australia. Its name comes from the Latin nullus arbor, meaning "no trees", although it supports a surprising variety of hardy plants and wildlife. It's famous for its vast open spaces, dramatic sea cliffs and the extraordinarily straight stretch of the Eyre Highway, making it one of Australia's great overland journeys.

Mark Rothko (1903–1970) was a Latvian-born American painter and one of the leading figures of Abstract Expressionism. He became famous for his large canvases filled with softly edged blocks of colour, believing that paintings should communicate deep human emotions rather than simply depict the world. Today, his work is among the most recognisable and valuable in modern art, and the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas, stands as a lasting reflection of his vision.

THE BISCUIT TIN QUESTION: WHICH PHOTOGRAPHER WOULD YOU CHOOSE FROM THE PAST OR NOW, TO MAKE YOUR PORTRAIT? SEND YOUR ANSWERS TO: stories@photowalk.show

MUSIC LINKS: Ziv Moran and Louis Island wrote today's playout song High Time. Music on the show is sourced primarily from Artlist and also features in Michael Brennan’s Spotify playlist GoFoto. For Apple Music users, follow this playlist.

Kelvin Brown’s flickr Photowalk inspired group - join by invite by clicking on to THIS LINK.

THE SHOWPAGE GALLERY

DISCOVERING YOUR WHY

VIDEO LIBRARY

The following videos or subjects are referenced within today’s show.

#542 DISCOVERING YOUR WHY